PA chief Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) told Arab leaders over the weekend that the Israeli government had in effect abolished the 1993 Oslo autonomy accords, an aide said on Monday. "Abbas affirmed to the Arabs that Israel has effectively cancelled the Oslo agreement and the other agreements it has signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)," chief negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.

He accused Israel of having stripped the Palestinian Authority of much of its powers in the occupied territories and of "intruding on a daily basis" into areas governed by the Palestinians, Erakat said. "If Israel does not respect agreements or adhere to implementing them then how can the PLO and the Palestinian Authority adhere to them?" he asked.

"Abbas did not say he would resign or dissolve the Palestinian Authority. But he said that since Israel has cancelled the Oslo accords and the other agreements and stripped the power of the Palestinian Authority over Palestinian lands, why should it remain in place? "